Social, neuroradiologic, medical, and neuropsychologic correlates of sexually aberrant behavior after traumatic brain injury: a controlled study.

OBJECTIVE

To identify social, neuroradiological, medical, and neuropsychological correlates of sexually aberrant behavior (SAB) after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

DESIGN

A controlled study using a retrospective file review.

SETTING

A brain injury unit providing inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services.

PARTICIPANTS

A sample of males (n = 25) exhibiting SABs and a control group (n = 25) matched for gender, severity of injury, age at injury, and time after injury.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

A protocol that recorded data on demographic, injury, radiological, medical, and neuropsychological variables.

RESULTS

The SAB group had a significantly higher incidence of postinjury psychosocial disturbance in areas of nonsexual crime and failure to return to work than the matched TBI group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the incidence of premorbid psychosocial disturbance or postinjury radiological, medical, or neuropsychological variables.

CONCLUSIONS

The study results caution against simplistic explanations of SAB as the product of damage to the frontal-lobe systems or premorbid psychosocial disturbance. Furthermore, the results suggest that a wide-ranging assessment of people with TBI who exhibit SABs is required, because results of neuropsychological examination alone cannot be considered conclusive. Future research into the etiology of SABs could examine additional factors such as lack of insight, lack of empathy, and premorbid history of family dysfunction.